Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment, respectively. FF is non-profit, meant for entertainment only. FF can be archived anywhere, just let me know where. Please send no flames, I'm sensitive. But for all other comments 0o you may contact me through this website or my own.
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First part of three.
Prequel to Empress and Haunting Me.
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Prologue
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Death swept over the land like fog, slowly and undeterred, like wolfs chasing hare; it crept in slowly from afar, consuming everything in it's path until little stood in the way—killing without preempt as distant clouds darkened and thunder, rumbled anew. The call for aid, spread long and thin, over the last few weeks sought to reach every last crevice in the land, seeking help from those still untouched by the mist that little by little was killing them all.
Amidst the shrills and screams, and gore of failing to keep the mist at bay, there came a moment, when help came and warrior-men rose behind the first in a great second wave, pushing forward with strength and unmatched ferocity, it was unconceivable they couldn't all be men of steel, that they weren't all warriors before this day, instead of rising from distant plains, born of poor bred farms and what some might even consider scum.
The calling was answered by all great men, simple and dangerous in turn, fighting side by side as they fought for something other than who they were or even who'd they'd left behind—they prepared, gathering at the gates of the imperial home for one last stand. Hoping to defend the home and life of the one man who'd brought peace to their lives and rice to their mouths, when any other would have turned his back.
But as the fog drew close, unease began to fill their heart's and it was difficult to remain calm but they gripped their swords and patted their horses, aware down to the very core that if this battle could not be won, that at least their lives would ensure the emperor enough time to make his escape. And with that in mind, they set their armor straight and like hundreds of drums, their feet stomped the earth as they marched to meet their doom.
The closer they marched the more the fog lost it's mystifying guise. And they saw what they had not been able to from a far—the army stalking towards them, following a man don in black, wore a helmet with long elk horns on either side but no mask, as was traditional for warriors to wear, was absent from his face. Exposing warrior features, in a pale face, bloodless lips and long trailing scar over his left eye, which did much to intimidate those coming at him.
As rain began to fall, the battle commenced with a lighting flash that split the sky, blood stained earth giving rise to streams of crimson and bleeding flesh—as the battled waged and surged. Each side swaying back and forth as they were driven back just as often as they drove forth. Dawn turned to dusk and back again for two days, until the third morning broke beyond dark skies, casting glimmers of hope until twilight descended once more. On that third day, with the dying of the day came a gyring wind, sweeping through the country with malicious intent.
Burning red miasma filling up their lungs, as warriors of such greatness took their last breath, dying on their motherland, the ominous threat that was beginning to lash and whip like the tide, thrashed them back against the wall.
Xian Han, emperor and once champion of these lands, watched from the windows of his estate as soldiers bearing his name fought and died defending his kingdom. At sixty-five he could no longer hold a sword. Time had done away with his youth and strength, though once, once he'd been the bravest fighter in all the land. Now he was forced to watch while his men battled, wrestled and struggled all in the name of the Emperor, he thought, hands fisting in anger as he shook his head, for a fleeting moment, regretting the day he ever became emperor. Lost in thought but a moment, when he sensed someone already in the room Xian turned and faced his intruder. "Naruhito Kotashi—" long time enemy and villain if there ever was once.
"You," the black clad figured spoke, looking him square in the eye as he came a little closer—"Are but a ghost of the warrior you once were." His pale face and sunken eyes made him look like death itself.
"Still—in a fair fight," the emperor replied, slow measured tones as he assessed his opponent's skill. "You would more than likely still loose against me."
Hate flashed in his Kotashi's eye, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword as the old man, stood still. Remembering, the old man was not as old as he would have liked, that and the fact that he had indeed been quite the warrior in his day, made him also recall loosing his left eye against him in fight—"I am here to deliver your death," he said unsheathing his sword, in one steady movement.
"Papa!"
Both men turned, the sound of a young female voice coming loud and clear as she called for him again.
"Papa!"
"Nori no miya . . ." he whispered, avidly watching her run straight to her father's side only a second before a man in warrior's armor ran into the room, sword out and bleeding as he cast his eye on the man's splattered face.
"Take her away, " the emperor demanded.
"Papa NO I don't want to leave you, Tsugaru can kill him. He can kill all those in the castle and we-"
"Tsugaru!" The emperor commanded, looking at the head of his army only once. "Remember your oath to me, now take her away."
"Papa," she began, eyes awash in tears as she desperately tried to hold onto her father. "Please—" but Tsugaru, who was but tall and strong, a man barely in his prime had no trouble picking her up. "Life to you always," Tsugaru said handing the emperor a long thin blade, the intruder recognized as a Damascus blade, the family name, etched along the outside as he remembered from his youth.
"Papa!" Nori screeched, twisting in her captor's arm as she struggled to get free. "Papa! Please, don't sent me away. Papa! Papa!" Louder and louder, as she was pushed out of the great room.
"I didn't know you had a daughter," Kotashi lied watching the scene with something like amusement glinting of his eye. "Awfully pretty," he murmured as he took in her young pale skin and blue black hair, large dark eyes shimmering with still trailing tears.
He couldn't help but smirk. "All right your highness let's see how you fare."
And it could have been just yesterday, it felt like, as the emperor took his old stance, Kotashi smiled condescendingly, beginning to take his stance when in a flash of a moment his left hand fell away. A cry of pain ripped away from him as that same blade drove deeper into his arm cutting away more flesh—pain exploded along every cell in his body, crushing him beneath an angry wave that infused limbs. Blindly drawing back, as he desperately sought to move away, Kotashi's blade drove upwards. Collapsing on the floor as he clutched his arm, feeling the world giving out beneath him as he thought he caught the sound of a female scream. Slowly, almost as from a distant, he opened his failing eye, squinting just enough, to see the emperor lying dead. And thinking of all things, that he must have killed him out of sheer blind luck.
"I'm going to kill you—" Was the last thing he heard before his strength gave out, his one failing eyes, closing beneath exhaustion as the whispers of her voice faded into darkness.
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She was angry, struggling against her father's guard with every bit of strength she possessed. "It's all you're fault," she screamed, hitting him with all her might. "It's all your fault!" She screamed and screamed, until finally Tsugaru set her down, ripped a piece from her sash and gagged her. And still, she cried, beating him hard against the face as he struggled to get free. Her father had just died and all because he hadn't stayed. As his guard he should have stayed to defend him.
He should have stayed.
Only Tsugaru didn't seem to see it that way, he tossed her high over the horse and began to undo the rope holding him to the stall. Quickly clasping his drying cloak against his armor and mounting the horse before laying her on his lap and tucking her against his chest. Throwing the cloak over her carefully before clasping it against his other shoulder, kicking the horse without further adieu and setting out at run.
Water pouring over them as they galloped out of the stables and through a secret passage leading to a backwoods road. Eyes narrowed dangerously as her crying grew even louder than the rumble of thunder and lightning hitting the earth.
If only he had walked a little faster once he'd had her, she would have never seen her father die like that he thought. As he kicked the horse once more, increasing it's pace until they trotted long beyond the passageway and for endless miles and uncertain amount of time.
The sky way dark. A cold gust of wind meeting them when they finally reached the road still he was glad for what it was worth, they'd made it out without him having to draw his sword, he thought, trotting in place a moment while he wondered which way to go. The black mist had come from the south, he knew, as he looked to the heavens a moment letting the rain wash over his face. He thought and thought until he looked back down again, his mind already made up. Knowing that for the time being he would not be able to return to his clan, so he couldn't head east. He would have to go Northwest in order to ovoid both foe and friend he thought before kicking the horse and spurring him on.
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Beneath her anguish and her hatred, Nori was but young and so she cried, loud gasping sobs that even underneath a dark black blanket, she couldn't hide. She hurt everywhere imaginable; her eyes, her head, her hands, her heart. Every time she remembered: Papa—she sobbed, choking on her feelings until she couldn't stand it anymore.
She was suffocating. She'd been crying for hours on end and they had yet to stop—he needed to stop and let her breathe, she thought, pulling on his breast plate until she caught his attention.
The fast gallop of his horse slowing to a trot as he urged the horse forward until they stopped, a little off to the side and under the shelter of several trees. Face unreadable at first, as he unclasped a side of his cloak, he became alarmed by her unmoving form.
Her face was a dark shade of red, the beginnings of a purple hue entering her countenance when he removed the gag. Shaking, her until she gasped forth breath as drops of water falling off his hair made little trails on her flushed face.
"Your highness?" He prompted, shaking her gently once more though not quite sure what else to do. He was a guard not a healer.
A chocked breath and air cold enough to burn her throat, made her cough severely a moment or so until she caught her breath, the ache of breathing eased a little more and more, as the act of breathing began to feel normal once again. Still she shivered in the wind, cold without the protection of the cloak. Until she remembered where she was and eyes like cobalt, met those of her father's guard—tears welling up immediately as she remembered what he'd done.
"The gag goes back into your mouth if you scream again." He threatened, black eyes blank , as her lips began to tremble. "Do you understand?"
Nori remained quite wondering how far she could get before Tsugaru caught her again. "Your highness?" He pressed.
"I understand," she finally answered.
Which seemed more than enough for the time being, he nodded and tucked her back against his chest, throwing the cloak back over his shoulder and clasping it place. Gently tapping the horse forward and setting back on trot, as they continued down the road. He knew they needed to go just a bit further before they would be able to call it a night. It was just easier to sleep during the day and travel by night than the other way around. Thieves and murders didn't frighten him, after all, he was the high-guard, captain and commander of the imperial army—earned out of sheer skill and hard work, not luck like some had thought.
His highness the emperor—Han-sama, he couldn't help but think, why? Why had he made him swear that stupid oath, all three of the could have gotten away. There was no need for him to sacrifice himself, not to that low level fighter, he thought, face marred by a deep scowl suddenly, as they road of the main road and to smaller one; he still didn't understand why the emperor had done, what he'd done.
But orders were orders and as a soldier, specifically trained and sworn to always obey. He'd had no choice but to follow commands, he thought, kicking the horse a bit, to urge him into a gallop that slowly grew a bit more steady.
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The constant whining of a hoarse roused her finally from her slumber and she found, quite slowly that she had somehow fallen asleep on hay. As Nori sat up, yawing as she rubbed her eyes. The heaviness of his clock, she found was comforting as well as warm. After a few seconds, after she'd blinked a few times, she found him asleep at the edge of the stall, some feet from where she lay. Not very far at all she thought as she carefully moved the cloak aside before she began to stand.
"Where are you going?" Though his eyes were still closed and he still had yet to move at all, he knew she was trying to sneak away.
"I want you to take me to my relatives."
He opened his eyes. And swore, he didn't think they were going to have this conversation on their very first day. "No," he answered, watching her calmly through slitting eyes.
"What do you mean, no. You're a guard to the royal family and as the only member left." Her voice began to waver. "I demand that you do as I say."
"That may work with regular guards your highness but not with me. I'm the head of the guards and the only person I answered to was to your father the emperor, and it is him and him alone, that I will obey."
"We'll he's not here anymore now is he." She stated, tears now visible, rolling down her cheeks. "Thanks to you. He'll never be here again."
He knew she'd blame him. Kami knew, it was only being aware of this, that kept his anger properly restrained.
"I want you to take me to a relative."
"No."
"Forget your stupid oaths to my father, he's not here anymore and I don't want to stay with you any longer than needed, do you understand? I hate you." She screamed. "I hate you."
"That maybe so," he stated, face hard and impassive. "But my oaths are still to his highness. I am bound by my word and honor. And I will not go against him, simply because he is not present."
Nori screamed, temper running high and loud until he abruptly stood. He did say he would gag her after all. "What—" she said, slowly taking a calming breath—"Is this oath you took and what does it have to do with me not being able to see a relative?" She asked, clenching her teeth as his head tilted to the side.
Eyes wary, as she seemed to calm herself down, he knew, through rumors of course, what a troublesome child she'd could be but he had never really had to deal with her before this. Still the other guards spoke and from what they'd said he knew she would lie and most likely run away first chance she got. Anything but tantrums, he thought was really welcomed at this point. "My oath," he said suspiciously—"was to stay with you, to always protect you."
"To stay with me?" Nori's eyes narrowed. Her mind working over his words. Not liking where it was going. "Till when?"
"Till death."
Her eyes grew wide, surprise evident in every feature of her face, until she processed what he said and closed her mouth, thinking for a moment before she frowned; "Are you saying . . . Are you free of your oath if I die?"
It took his a second to respond. When he looked at her, at how young she really was he couldn't but wonder what it was she really wanted to ask. He was young yes. Only twenty one now but she was really only thirteen and that made her more than young, it made her naïve. "No," he replied, really un-inclined to discuss all the details to his oath.
"No—what do you mean by that?" She asked putting her hands on her hips suddenly and keeping him place.
It made him want to sigh or better yet walk away, leave her there to fend for herself and never have to hear from her again but as it was—"I am bound to you for all the days of my life, I will protect you and keep you safe until every last drop of my blood is lost. I won't let you kill yourself and I won't allow anyone else to either. If you should still die under my watch I am to avenge you. If you die because of my neglect then I am still to join you in death. Now if you could sit back down and go to sleep. We're leaving here at sun down."
She gave him a dirty look wishing his death first before she flopped down on the hay. Angrily laying down before she tossed the cloak over herself so she wouldn't have to see him.
And what could he do but shake his head. Now really angry at having had to explain. He kicked the side of the stall before he sat back down.
"I hate you," she told him as she turned her back to him. He wanted to respond in kind but chose to remain silent instead. She really did know how to get on people's nerves, he thought, gritting his teeth before he decided the only thing he really needed right now was to get some sleep. He hadn't slept since the battle had begun and that, was more than three days ago.
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She awoke to constant shaking. Her eyes darting sleepily until she saw his hovering face. It was only a fraction of a moment but that was enough to sour her day, as her eyes narrowed and she sat up—
"Let's go." He ordered, stepping back a space while he waited for her to ready.
And it could have been deliberate, for all the time it took, Nori was slow in standing, muscles aching as the beginnings of a small headache began to make themselves known. As she made her way over to him, she nearly fell on the damn hay. And with a scowl and few choice words, she kicked at a patch before marching the rest of the way to him. Eyes boring into his skull, in silent threat—where he to laugh at her but his face like his eyes, never changed expression.
He picked her up and sat her on the horse before he himself mounted. Like before he laid her across his lap and tried to cover her face.
"I can't breath when you put that on me."
His eyes darted to the open door and at seeing dark angry skies, he found that he would have to overlook her comfort. "You'll have to." He said, as he tucked her back against him she began to struggle. After a few minutes passed, he finally became angry. "Do I have to bind you?"
"I'm heir to father's kingdom not some harlot you can just bind for you amusement." She snapped back, face flushed dark as her anger began to mount.
And though amused suddenly, his face remained perfectly blank, reviewing on the things he had brought with him when he recalled some rope but that he tried to reason, was a bit too rough even for her. So—"we'll forget the rope for now." He said pushing her back against him and clasping his cloak back into place before kicking the horse and riding out at a fast pace.
The sky was as dark, as he'd predicted and it wouldn't be long now before they saw more rain. Her father's first home, which is where they were headed, was still some distance away, there would be several more stops along way before they'd be safe and so now, he just hoped nothing else went wrong.
It was after a couple of minutes of riding however that a thought suddenly struck him, knowing he remembered correctly, his eyes narrowed. There, he remembered, would be no servants when they got there just him and her, he thought, eyes growing dangerously small. He was not going to play house maid to her, of that he was certain . . . as much as he was about not being able to hire anyone else . . .
She would just have to get used to the simple life, he thought, eyes still narrowed as he wondered what the emperor had been thinking when he'd appointed him this task. He was one of the most ill tempered men in the imperial army. How was he supposed to deal with a child and a spoiled one at that, he wondered as his eyes fell on the moving cloak, he could not help his tone of voice. "What is it now?"
Embarrassed beyond belief she responded before he drew the cloak back. "I need to pee." She felt the horse's gallop turn to a trot until eventually they stopped. She avoided his eyes when he unclasped his cloak and even as he dismounted and helped her off, she looked away.
It wasn't in his nature to be patient but he stood there, waiting for her to move until he realized she wouldn't. As he looked down into her face, seeing the bewildered expression on her features—"Go," he said, pointing to a group of trees behind them. Before she nodded to him once and slowly made her way.
Muttering under her breath, "Like an animal," something or other before cursing further under her breath. It was hard for her he knew and it made him feel almost somewhat bad for her. Though only somewhat the rest bordered on high amusement
After sometime he called for her and at hearing no response he went in the direction he'd seen her disappear off into before cursing himself a million times her fool. Angrily biting back a lot worse, as his eyes focused on the ground, noting that the earth was wet, and as long as that continued to be so, he sighed. He would have no problem seeing which way she went, he thought, setting off at an almost running pace as he chased after her. It wasn't long.
Nori ran hating her royal robes for been so dams restrictive before she pulled on them higher, freeing more of her legs until she ran a little faster. She wasn't sure which way she was going but she'd fine someone eventually and they would help guide herself she thought. Running along some trees when she hit something hard—"Uhmf." She squeaked, surprised as she tumbled back but did not fall. Eyes awfully wide as he picked her up and carried her back.
Silently reprimanding himself for being so stupid, he never should have allowed such leniency, he thought as he set her back on the horse and pulled out a string of rope from a pocket in the saddle.
"I won't run away again," she promised sensing his anger as she eyed the rope. "Please," she pleaded as he began to bind her hands. "Listen," her tone grew frustrated. "I swear I won't run off."
"I know you won't" He said, tightening the rope around her before he mounted. As Nori looked up angrily, he set the cloak back over her face, sparing her brief look as he said; "If you loosen the binds I will do them again and gag you. If you scream I will gag you and if you draw attention to us when I tell you to be quiet I will gag you." He stressed.
"Filthy, condescending, bastard-."
He gagged her and tucked her back against his body as he fastened the cloak. One day without food ought to be enough to teach her a lesson he thought as he nicked the reigns on the horse, he prompted it forward, setting of at a steady trot as the sky began to darken further. He hoped this tactic worked because really, he didn't want to have to resort to actual punishment. She was a woman and the emperor's daughter no less but at the same time, he couldn't help but think that maybe that's why she was so damn troublesome, he thought, sighing inwardly as he kept a watchful eye as night fell around them.
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She was completely disheveled when they arrived. Hair and robes alike all crumpled and disarrayed made her an even sadder sight. A little amusing maybe but still very sad he thought. Easing her down the horse carefully before setting her down on the ground to stand on her own.
She swayed only a little then, glaring at him with such profound hate, he couldn't help but simply stare at her. Watching her like men watched a set of brewing clouds before blinking back the thought. Shaking his head and thinking he definitely needed to get some rest if he was going to survive this.
He knew better than to simply untie her or to just loosen the gag here and now because if anything, he had learned quite well how much his men had gotten to know her. And while they would stand for being kicked and maybe even slapped, he would not. He out ranked them.
But even then—"I will see you hanged." She promised, petulantly scowling as she rubbed at her hands and face. Working softly at the abrasions marring her features as he circled around her while gathering wood. "Did you hear me, servant. I will have you hanged."
It was enough to make him stop. "I am not your servant." He cleared, voice deadly quite as he gazed at her. "I am your protector and there is a difference between the two," he emphasized as it began to seem like she might open her mouth. "I was your father's guard, head of the army and his first in command. I am unmatched by any other." He stated, not like gloating but like a reminder of what had been.
She didn't answer right away and for a moment, it seemed like she might never speak to him again. But something in her made her gaze grow cold, features so like a child's grow old and bold, as the expression on her face alluded to a beauty she did not yet posses but one day—"That is not good enough for me." She said, eyes like glassy shards of ice. "I am all that's left, all that you have left." She emphasized. "Don't you dare think, because I'm a young still I will bow to you or any other man."
If her small outburst surprised him, he didn't show it. Really how was he to interpret this from a child of thirteen, he thought, setting his collected wood down on the ground as she rose, expression turned away from him as she looked out the window, bathed in the last rays a dying sun had to offer her.
"I am my fathers daughter Tsuga. And one day—I will have my justice." She promised. "I will see that murderer dead. And if there's anything left, I will take my father's place. I . . ." She trailed off, turning around to look at him with something like wisdom gazing back at him. "Will be your empress."
"Your highness," he began addressing her almost formally for something in her beckoned his respect. Bade him to be ever so careful with her now because she was more important than he'd ever cared to spare a thought to before. "I cannot let you risk a confrontation like that."
"I wasn't asking you for permission." She offered back, features obscured by the light behind her.
"I won't let you go."
"I didn't think you would." She sighed, offering a small smile as she moved from the window and into a corner, features shadowed once more by a dying light. "I may not want you. But you are all I have as well. And you will help me," she declared, voice like a young commander who couldn't give up his post. "You have to."
And what could he say to that. Technically, he didn't have to help her. He was simply only to take care of her, make sure he protect her and always be the one to save her even from herself as it now seemed. But at the same time, he was a soldier and knew that if the emperor had died and left a son in place of her. That speech would have been enough to secure his ties to him, as it was his duty to follow, he would have bowed to the new crown.
But as it was, she was still but a child and couldn't possibly mean what she said in the heat of the moment. "I think it best not trouble yourself with that right now." He said, watching her face come into focus as he tossed a log into the fire. Eyes carefully blank, as she regarded him with something like interest before she drew that in as well.
"It doesn't matter what you think." She declared, brining a stop the conversation with a simple dismissive gesture she must have learned from watching her father.
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For a long time, Tsugaru wondered how she came to learn his name. She never spoke to the guards, at least other than to bid them do something or other, she herself couldn't handle but even then, she never once addressed them by their names. Everyone, who wasn't her beloved father got treated the same. And unfortunately for all those others, she was never properly taught to deal with anyone other than servants and slaves who bowed to her every whim.
Why she should think any differently now, really shouldn't be that much of a surprise to him. Time had allowed her only to become that much more cold and yet, at times like this, when it seemed a temper tantrum was all but inevitable, he couldn't help but sometimes wonder what would have happened if he'd answered her differently that night.
Perhaps, he sometimes thought, they could have become something like friends or travel companions at least and not so much the enemies they sometimes seemed.
"Are you even listening to me," she growled, tossing a bowl on the ground with a precision he found intriguing. "I will not eat this. I'm sick of it. This is beneath me." She cried, rising with a motion that nearly toppled the table aside. "You and this filth deserve each other." She huffed, walking away to the room that had once been her father's.
And he had learned through trial and error that when she became like this it was simply better to let her go. She wasn't trying to run away anymore. And he did thank the heavens for that. For one, she had no idea where to go and two, she really didn't have any relatives she could stay with. And that, he remembered had been a little harder for her to understand then the whole thing with his oath, which though she understood she loved a lot more to ignore.
I hate this place, he thought, looking around the large white room as nothing but a breeze joined him through out supper. He wanted nothing more than to go back to his clan but the perimeters of his oath, would not allow it. Not unless he could make them believe he was engaged to her. And that was a lie he wasn't just yet ready to propose.
She was only fourteen and though most women married at fifteen, he just couldn't bring himself to see her as anything but the emperors daughter. Though either way, he knew she wasn't one to pretend, she would never go along with him.
She really did hate him. He had though she had only meant it in passing, the sort of thing you say in the heat of the moment. But time had shown he had deluded himself in more ways than he cared to try and figure out. She really meant what she said, whether she was calm or sad or devastatingly furious, she meant everything she said.
Which again made him wonder once again if he should have said something else to her that night, all those months ago now when he had thought it better to simply walk away and let her be, than confront the situation. He should have told her then . . . or answered her some other way at least, so that the person he knew, her father had always seen in her would have stayed with him a little longer, he thought. Picking up her broken dish off the floor before heading out. Wondering how in the world things had ever turned out this way and not how he'd planned.
Being a soldier he had thought would have limited the uncertainty he had always sensed along his path and it had, for a long time, he had been able to steer clear of such things as where he would sleep or where he could eat. Because a warrior with a purpose or soldier in a palace both shared a security he now lacked.
Heaven knows, having to work to feed them isn't what he had intended when he had promised him majesty to care for Nori. It wasn't even as if it was beneath him like Nori liked to shout and scream about when she didn't like or understand something but . . . It just isn't what he'd had in mind, he thought. Trudging through a muddy road to pick up his pay.
Today at least, he could get them properly fed, buy a few supplies here and there and see if could manage this a little better than his last bit of pay. Goodness knew, it wasn't a hardship to give up his meal so that she could eat but he feared being weak when and if an enemy should attacked.
And that he thought was the most important thing he had left to give him strength now, to keep her safe and healthy, just as he had promised, he thought, gripping the hilt of his blade beneath his coat as the winds began to change again.
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The house was dark by the time he got back home. He knew her to immediately flee back to her fathers room when she wasn't happy, finding comfort in his things and memories as she cried herself to sleep. And that was more often than not, since he'd gotten a job. Though he was sure that while she didn't actually care enough to miss him, he wasn't home at any time during day when she could vent out her frustrations he thought. Washing his hands carefully in a little basing before wrapping up his hands.
"You're home early," she said, surprising him as she came into the room.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" He answered back, only to watch her shake her head.
"I don't sleep very well at night . . ." she revealed, trailing off as his eyes narrowed.
"I brought you breakfast." He said, turning his back to her as she began to open her mouth.
"Tsugaru," she began, tentatively coming closer to the sound of him moving around. "I . . . I been thinking about what I said to you before and I can understand you don't want to die for me. I'm not the best person sometimes I know. I can be very difficult. Father always said I was stubborn as a mule. But I need you to help me. Just help me raise an army and you can go. I swear your debt is paid in full to me if will just do this." She begged, backing up as he lit a candle to light the room.
Eyes dark and unreadable, as he simply gazed at her. "Is that all you want?" He asked, voice carefully neutral. "Vengeance?"
"No," she denied. "I loved my father. But even for him I don't think I could bring myself to do what you imagine. I only want justice for what's been done. He's a murderer, it wasn't just my father he killed when he came to our home. He's killed dozens of innocent people too."
"There's no such thing . . ." As innocent, he'd almost said, watching her frown at him before sighing, not in defeat but in frustration trying to find a different angle that would at some point convince him to help her.
"What happened to your hands?" She asked suddenly drawing as close to him as she ever had on her own since they'd come here. "I- is this because of me?"
And he could honestly say she wouldn't always surprise him. "I don't know what you mean." He said, moving away from her as he set up a late night supper.
"You . . . you work for me," she whispered, casting her eyes down on the mats like peasant girls sometimes did at the sight of men. "I mean . . . I know I'm fourteen but you can't honestly think I'm that dumb or that I wouldn't notice your absence, did you?"
"No," he answered back, unsure for the very first time in a long time of how he meant to be interpreted. "I don't think you're dumb. I just—didn't think you'd . . ." care, he thought, watching as that look he'd only ever once seen on her before flickered through her eyes.
"You didn't think I'd notice my protector missing?" She teased, smiling at him with something so close to warmth it made something in him just sort of freeze. Made him shake his head and casually take a step away from her.
"I didn't know." And that he thought could be interpret in any number of ways now. Because he was terribly confused.
"It's all right." She said, coming close to him again as he paused by the wall. "I haven't been the best person. And I know that's not entirely your fault," she offered, grinning at him a little before sighing as she looked at his hands again. Peering at them so intently, she began to make him feel awkward.
"You should eat," he said, trying to distance himself away when she looked back at him.
"I know I just—It's almost been a year since we got here and you, you've been working ever since. I just . . . I'm grateful, I guess." She said, softly grasping his hand before giving it slight squeeze and letting it go. Moving away from him with a little bit of a frown as he just stood there.
"Well?" She asked, waiting for him to come and bring the food.
When he nodded, "All right," he said, conceding to more than she ever imagined with those two little words. I will help you he said. I will fight for you and die for you. And I will make you empress if it's the last thing I do.
"Tsugaru?"
"Your highness," he bowed, catching the threads of her laughter as the bandage in his hand came undone.
"Here," she beckoned. "Let me help you."
And in his heart, something unexpected blossomed.
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Well it seems like forever since I said I was going to write this, didn't I? I kept waiting and waiting for something to inspire me until it finally did. I began this a little more than three years ago, when Blue Moon first when up but it was only a paragraph and nothing more. I finished it six months ago but I didn't get a chance to edit till last night. I'm usually not a fan of prologues but for what I had in mind, I think it worked out just great. There will be no Small Notes at the end of this, as all should be explained at the end of the next chapter. But if you still have any questions, please feel free to email me.
Thank you for reading. And please don't forget to review.